Step 3: The Prep

Step 4: The Pans

Prep the pans by spraying with non-stick pan spray and cover with parchment paper circle.

Step 5: The Crust

1. Place crushed graham crackers into a clean bowl
2. Mix sugar into crushed graham crackers
3. Melt butter in small pot
4. Let cool until cool to the touch, pour over graham crackers and sugar
5. Mix well with wooden spoon
6. Pour into the prep'd 8” cheesecake pan
7. Pack evenly into the bottom of the pan
8. Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to set the crust

Step 6: The Filling

1. Add cream cheese into a mixer, mix on low until it is creamy
2. Next slowly add the sugar, mix until completely incorporated
3. Add one egg at a time, wait until each egg has been fully incorporated
4. Add the vanilla extract
'SCRAPE THE SIDES OF THE BOWL OFTEN'
'ONLY MIX ON LOW TO AVOID TOO MUCH AERATION'

Two words aluminum foil. Just cover a springform pan on the outside with aluminum foil and use the water bath. I've been doing this for years and it works fine. Sounds like a great recipe and I'll give it a try

I am puzzled about how leakage could possibly be a problem. With any kind of a crust, particularly one that has been "set," unless the batter is the consistency of water, I wouldn't think it could leak. I made many dozens of cheesecakes with both cheap & good-quality springform pans, and never had a leak. I believe mine may have been a thicker batter. Unfortunately I lost the recipe 20 yrs ago and have been too disappointed with other recipes, so I don't cook cheesecake anymore. Mine had cream cheese and sour cream both, and required confectioner's (powdered) sugar. The cooking was two-stage, at different temps, and it was difficult to get the mix to "peak" properly unless you started with cream cheese & eggs that were already room temperature. One alteration I discovered turned out to be popular: I chopped up fresh orange peel into tiny little pieces and mixed it in with the batter just before it went into the oven. Not a whole peel -- about a third or so, just enough to add a few little flavor bursts, not overpowering the basic cheesecake taste. I like the sound of this topping. I usually just put a spoonful of topping next to the piece of cheesecake when I served it, so you could eat a few bites without it if you chose. I like to get my first taste of cheesecake "uncluttered," so I can tell just how good it really is. This truly is an excellent instructable -- it should be used as an example, particularly for cooking instructions.

Hey Smokehill, the leaking they refer to is indeed water in, not filling out. You might want to check out my cheese cake instructable, I use a bit of sour cream in mine and I like to use lemon zest, which may give you a similar zing to your orange peel. I will have to use orange zest next time to see if it does it for me the way lemon does. I am a citrus lover, so I am sure it will. I'm also going to try this recipe, always on the lookout for ways to improve my own. Great pics and detailed instructions, well done CCDBS!

Many thanks !!! Yours is the first one I've seen that I believe is VERY close to the one I had. Aside from the 2-stage cooking, it could be exactly the same ... and I doubt that the 2 stages are that essential. I know the CAREFUL cooling and handling is very important, though. I also found out, the hard way, that you can't just double the ingredients, pour the result into two pans, and stick them in the oven. It was edible, but "not right." The old-time cooks I mentioned it to just laughed - they thought everyone knew that already. Not me, obviously. The original recipe I got did have lemon zest, too -- changing to (or adding) orange zest was my own little perversion. Not knowing about scrapers, I just chopped up the peel as tiny as I could with a paring knife. I never was a cook, and mostly ate out of cans, and this cheesecake was one of the only things I ever liked well enough to actually do myself. Again, thanks ! I now must buy a springform pan and give your recipe a try.

excellent instructable, very easy to make I just made this for my mom for mother's day and it turned out well even though my knowledge of cooking extends to pretty much just quesadillas one suggestion I would have for people making this would be using a little less sugar on the actual cheese portion, one mine it came out delicious but just a little too sweet

Yum, Cheesecake is the absolute best food ever invented !WOOT! I think this looks good but, im not very fond of raspberrys :-( so if i make this i will use my Top Secret Recipe cheesecake (i will not ever tell!! or i would 4 $ :P) so i would make this with the carmelized blueberries and strawberries, + tablespoon of lemon juice to keep fresh and add a lil zing!